


The Sound of Years In Between

by lentranced



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem 外伝 | Fire Emblem Gaiden
Genre: Cute, Family, Gen, Shippy Gen, Sibling Bonding, i don't like putting those tags next to each other
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-02-18
Updated: 2019-02-18
Packaged: 2019-10-31 02:48:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17840972
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lentranced/pseuds/lentranced
Summary: After spending years learning magic in Khadein, Luthier visits his sister to find her in some ways the same, and in some ways, different.





	The Sound of Years In Between

**Author's Note:**

> Commission for airlock on tumblr.
> 
> If you enjoy my work, please consider buying me a coffee for a drabble. It boosts my morale, makes me happy and gets you a bit of writing! ko-fi.com/mepmep
> 
> (commissions info can be found on my blog, star--gal.tumblr.com)

Luthier adjusted the worn out leather bag strap over his shoulder. The sack felt heavier than it had at the start of his journey, though he refused to spend too long sitting in the grass in between rides from village to village.

He was almost there anyways. The town of Moyren was bigger than the quaint village where he and Delthea had grown up, but it wasn’t exactly Khadein’s sprawling cities and academies either. The country that Luthier had retreated to after the war seemed to have a heat that never left, except on the odd evening that he would spend curled against the doorway of the library, the wind rustling the pages of whatever book he was combing through at the time.

It was the routine of so many hundreds of days that leaving it was painful, in a way. Luthier had always been the sort of man to enjoy the routine, the gradual increase of his skills. The application and the result. Study would lend itself to proficiency.

He crinkled his brow. How had Delthea spent her years away from him? The letters she sent were sparse and always seemed to ask him if he was still sticking his nose in books, and on occasion she would ask if he had made any friends (street cats did not count, she insisted) at the magic school.

On occasion, she would ramble about her husband, though the picture that Delthea painted of the man was a wild and messy caricature every time.

Or at least, that’s what Luthier figured. He liked to think he knew his sister well enough to understand when she was exaggerating.

Moyren’s walls were stone and wood, both brick and the ground peppered with more pebbles and sharp rocks than Luthier cared to count. The thick cover of green forest thinned out as he trailed along the dirt path and the sounds of animals and children laughing grew louder. 

Luthier’s mind wandered as he walked down the paths, eyes shifting over the setting as he tried to find "the fanciest house in town" which was how Delthea had so pointlessly described it in her last letter.

"Excuse me," he said, approaching a vegetable seller. 

Luthier cleared his throat. Perhaps he was too quiet. The merchant was swatting at a mosquito. 

Luthier leaned forward and pushed some of his hair out of his eyes. "Excuse me? Sir?"

The man looked at him. "Hello," he said. "What can I get you?"

"Your vegetable stall looks wonderful, but it’s not the reason I’m here," said Luthier. He pulled out the letter and unfolded it, squinting at Delthea’s frisky handwriting in the blinding sunlight. "I’m looking for the Esquire manor. I am a visitor, you see. I’m here to meet with my sister and her h — "

"Down there," interrupted the merchant. "Keep walking and turn right at the fourth fork. It’s the fanciest house in town. You’ll know it when you see it."

"Thank you," said Luthier. He looked over the selection of cucumbers, the back of his throat burning, but he chose to ignore it and continued his walk, keeping his head either up or down, both mannerisms similar to an ostrich. 

He did find it eventually, after counting the forks in the path and then debating if it was his right or the merchant’s right, but the fancy looking manor was right there, on his right, so he made the logical decision.

When he arrived, up the winding stone path and to the front door, Luthier considered both the doorbell and simply knocking. 

He went with both, knocking three times and then ringing the doorbell twice. Looking down at his shoes, he shifted his weight back and forth for a few moments before letting his attention escape to the surrounding garden.

The hedges were neatly trimmed and flowers lined the sides of the path. Grass covered the yard, thick and lush and green.

And there was a cat watching Luthier from the hedges, not too far. He started in its direction.

When the maid opened the door and called to him, Luthier had his hand rubbing behind the cat’s ears, heart full of love at the sounds of her contented purrs.

"Excuse me?" the maid asked. Luthier was crouched by the hedges. He turned to look up at the maid, squinting in the sunlight as he did.

"Ah." Luthier got to his feet and the cat scampered away. He was a full two heads taller than the maid. "I am visiting, you see. I am here to speak with the lady of the estate…"

"I knew I’d find you here," came a voice from behind the maid. A woman, petite yet refined, with a wild grin and wilder eyes. "Crouched by the strays before even saying hello?"

Luthier stepped back, nearly stumbling into the hedge. "Delthea!" He raised his arms in shock. She crossed her arms over chest.

His sister hadn’t gotten much taller, but she had changed in other ways. Her eyes crinkled more at the ends and her face was leaner and narrower.

"You greet the cats before me! You haven’t changed at all," she said, taking his hand and dragging her brother up the steps. "I’ve been waiting all morning for you!"

Luthier stumbled over the threshold and caught his breath, hand pressed against the doorframe for support. He looked down at the marbled floor and then up at his sister, who stood there, waiting for him.

"This," Delthea began with a grand, sweeping gesture of her arms, "is the foyer. Isn’t it huge? Perfect for tag, if kids lived here. But don’t ask me about that. Never, ever bring up kids unless I say so."

"I…see," said Luthier. He started to walk around the open hall, shoes clacking against the marble. His eyes wandered over grand paintings and the sloping staircase, with its pristine rails.

"Come on, come on," she said, hurrying towards the stairs and straight up. Her cape, similar to the one she wore when she was younger, flapped behind her as she took two steps at a time.

Luthier started up the steps one by one, taking care not to let his robes catch under his feet.

They stood at the top, brother and sister, and Luthier marvelled at the sight of the foyer from the balcony overhang. It was fancier than many of the places he had seen in Khadein, with glittering marble tiles and carpeted steps.

Never in his life could he have imagined his little sister living in a place like this. It was so unlike the small village where they had grown up.

"Watch this," she said. "Here’s where the fun comes in."

Luthier watched as his sister sat on the railing and slid down, at which point he cried out. He wasn’t sure if it was reflex or genuine concern in the moment, but his worried sound echoed throughout the hall.

The maid from earlier peered at him from down a hall. Luthier covered his mouth and then looked to Delthea, frowning.

"What was that?" he hissed.

"Try it! You can slide down these all day and nobody can stop you. It’s great being the lady of the house!" his sister called from below.

Luthier looked at the railing and then down at his robes, pooling on the carpet.

Delthea crossed her arms. "Come on, you big baby."

"Delthea! Have some manners," he said, but then he swallowed and grabbed the railing, gently, cautiously placing his weight onto it.

"Good," his sister said from below, grinning at him. "Now hurry up, I got more stuff to show you."

Luthier sucked in a breath and closed his eyes, quickly changing his mind because it was so much more frightening that way. He opened his eyes and then gravity was onto him, yanking him down along the slippery banister before the cry of panic had a chance to escape him.

He slid down and hopped onto the floor, legs like jelly and his fingers gripping the wood.

"It gets easier," said Delthea, and then she marched forward, knowing that Luthier would follow.

And he did. He followed her down one hall and then the next, as she showed off potted plants and potted 'those aren’t plants they are _trees,_ ' the latter causing a bit of an argument between the siblings about how big of a houseplant was too big to be a houseplant.

"If it fits, it’s a houseplant," said Delthea.

"If it’s taller than the average person, it’s _not_ a houseplant, it’s madness," said Luthier.

Delthea rolled her eyes, grabbed her brother by the sleeve, and led him out into the courtyard.

At first, Luthier was squinting in the blinding midday sunlight. Then, as he and Delthea meandered past the entrance and towards the shade, and Luthier heard a soft mewl, he looked around.

"Do you like them?" Delthea asked, leaning against a thick and aging tree. 

Luthier bent down and slowly brushed his fingers against the top of the brown cat’s head.It pressed its head up against his fingers. He turned to look at Delthea.

"Them?"

As if on cue, he heard another meow. He turned. Two kittens, playing by a bush.

Another cat curled up under a tree not far from Delthea’s spot. A big, fat, sleepy kitty. Luthier gasped.

His sister grinned at him. "I kept them because they reminded me of you," she said.

"Oh, Delthea, they’re beautiful," Luthier said, sitting in the grass and holding the cat he had started petting. "Really?"

Delthea tilted her head and looked up at the leaves. "And I figured it would be a nice surprise for when you finally came to visit."

"It is!" He said. "Do you really care for all of them?"

"The maids do, and yeah I do, too. Like I said. They made me think of you, Lu."

Luthier nodded, focused on the cat in his lap. It felt wonderful, to pet the animal, but also a part of him swelled with love for Delthea. It swelled with the feeling of belonging, of being home.

Family.

"I still have to show you around the market," Delthea said after a few minutes. "We’ll buy something nice for dessert!"

Luthier let the cat slip away but he watched it settle under the shade and begin to lick itself clean. Delthea was already up, so he dusted off his hands and got back to full height.

They exited the garden and Luthier let his mind wander as Delthea led him on a tour of the town.

By the time they were back at her doorstep, Luthier’s feet ached and the sun was beating down on his back like a steady and relentless drum.

"Ready to meet my boy toy?" Delthea said with a wink, kicking her shoes off by the door.

"Your _what_?" Luthier sputtered. Delthea laughed and walked into the manor like she owned it.

Which, Luthier figured, she did. And he had no choice but to follow, really. The maids relieved him of the weight of the groceries and he heaved a sigh, following his little sister down the spotless halls and towards the smell of freshly baked bread.

There he was. Luthier wasn’t sure about the kind of man that he’d been expecting. 

Delthea’s husband had blue eyes and brown hair to match his sister’s. He was staring down into what looked like a bowl of soup in front of him. 

As Luthier and Delthea sat down across from him, Luthier observed that it was indeed some sort of soup. A maid entered and served soup to both him and his sister as well. The man smiled at them.

"Good evening," he said. "Luthier, correct?"

Luthier nodded, and Delthea elbowed him. 

"This is Aren," said Delthea. "And Aren, this is my fabled brother."

Aren grinned. There was a sparkle in his eyes that was a fraction of what was in Delthea’s.

"Make yourself comfortable, both at our home and in town," Aren said. "Delthea always talked about you."

"Did you really?" Luthier asked his sister. Gently, he blowed at his soup and brought the spoon to his lips.

"You’re lucky Aren loves cats too," she said. "I think you’ll get along great!"

She winked at her husband and he winked back. Luthier smiled, though it felt stiff on his lips, and he let the soup warm himself up.

Dinner was a mostly quiet affair, and Aren excused himself after offering tea to Luthier. Luthier and Delthea sat in the lounging room. She was sprawled on the sofa, eating grapes, and Luthier watched as a cat circled by their feet.

"He’ll open up to you," Delthea said.

"It’s alright if he doesn’t," said Luthier.

Delthea sat up. "Nonsense! You just need some time to get used to it. I know you better than anyone."

"That may be so." Luthier bent down to pet the cat’s head. "It still feels so strange. To see you all grown up like this, yet you are still so much yourself, I…"

"You too," Delthea interrupted. "All that time you spent learning magic. You wanted to do it, right? Progress is progress, Luthier. I’m happy, and I hope you are, too."

"I am! But…"

"Then I’m proud of you, meathead," Delthea waved a hand towards him dismissively. "Enough of this matter. Stop wallowing in your thoughts and go take a walk. It’ll be good for you."

Luthier stared at his sister for a long moment. She grinned.

"I _said_ , it’ll be good for you!"

Luthier opened his mouth to speak but she threw a grape at him.

"You might be surprised," Delthea said. "Now shoo. Let me eat."

And he did shoo. The cat followed him into the hall, out through the courtyard, where the sound of crickets drowned out the noise in his head. He approached the gate when he saw the glint of familiar eyes.

Opening the door, he peered out at the woman. Silque looked back at him. In the dark, he couldn’t read her expression. Though, he was never very good at reading faces, anyways. 

"Luthier," she said, hands clasped at the front of her skirt. It billowed ever so slightly in the evening breeze. "Do you remember me?"

Luthier nodded and a hive of questions burst open in him."Of course. How did you…Do you live here?"

Silque smiled, clear as day to Luthier’s noisy thoughts, bright in the moonlight. "Delthea told me you were visiting. I thought it would be nice to see you, after all these years."

Luthier let his mind wander for a moment. Considered prodding more. Almost opened his mouth with the intention of asking another question.

He let her smile fill his thoughts instead. A friend.

A different sort of question tonight. 

Perhaps this question would lead him down a new path.

"Would you like to walk with me?"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


End file.
